My Lady's Favor

She perched beside her new husband in the glow of the evening’s torchlight and watched him down the contents of his cup for at least the tenth time. After he called for a refill, Elysia pretended not to notice as he pinched the wine bearer’s backside. Although she resented having to marry such an odious creature, Elysia would not allow her dignity to crumple because of him.

The count was a huge man. He was reputed to have been a formidable warrior in his day, but it had been many years since he gave a care to his health. His jeweled sword belt did nothing to hide his girth, one of many indications that he indulged himself too freely. His ruddy nose and the high color in his cheeks suggested that he consumed great amounts of wine along with his ravenous appetite for food.

For this, Elysia did not condemn him. His penchant for ogling every woman under fifty, however, gave her a sense of impending doom.

Shuddering, she turned away from him to sweep the great hall with her gaze. She tried to ignore her husband’s arrogant nephew. Conon St. Simeon sat at the table closest to the dais, a giggling beauty wrapped about him. The younger St. Simeon displayed none of the defects of the elder. Strong, handsome, articulate, he held the crowd at his table in thrall with some tale or another, his animated face and wild gestures bespeaking only good humor, not drunkenness.

Elysia knew from his behavior in the garden this morning that he was not the angel among men he appeared. His lingering kiss and forward manner proved his lack of chivalry.

She did not mention Conon’s behavior to the count. Nor did she have any intention of doing so. She spoke little to her husband, who seemed just as happy to immerse himself in good food and abundant wine.

Elysia’s overlord, the earl of Arundel, leaned close on her other side. “You must admit, Vannes Keep is far more sophisticated than your little stone tower at Nevering.” The earl smiled benevolently, as if ready to forgive her for not wanting to come to France.

“Nevering is far more than a little stone tower, my lord, and we are both well aware of it.” Elysia could not help the edge to her voice since she had striven for years to make Nevering a strong keep as well as a gracious home. Besides, fear about the night ahead knotted her belly.

“Ah, but here you will be a lady of leisure,” her former overlord countered. “The count will provide well for you, and you will not have the worries associated with the linen trade. You can rest easy knowing Sir Oliver Westmoor will take good care of Nevering and watch over your mother.”

He will soak up all the profits until he runs the holding into the ground. She mustered a tight smile that hurt her face to bestow. Did he expect her to thank him for reminding her of the greedy neighboring lord back home who coveted Nevering and its modest wealth?

A tall knight approached them, bowing deeply before the dais table. “My lord,” the newcomer addressed the count, though he wore Arundel’s colors on his sleeve. “Might I hope for an introduction to the bride?”

The count leaned close to Elysia. “My dear, this is Sir John Huntley, Arundel’s right arm in battle.”

Elysia took in the looming height of the tall knight, his angular features and sandy brown hair pleasant enough, though his eyes held a lingering familiarity that uneased her. Her new husband draped a heavy arm about Elysia’s shoulders to draw her near to him, his bejeweled surcoat scratching her skin through her fine silken garment. The informality of his manner announced his drunkenness to the entire hall while the attending knight bowed again.

Arundel leaned over to whisper, “He is as important to me on the field as Sir Oliver is to me back home.”

Even if John Huntley had not been looking at her as a cat eyes a caged bird, the comparison to Sir Oliver would have put her on guard.

“Huntley,” Jacques continued. “The new Countess of Vannes, Elysia St. Simeon.”

She had no choice but to offer her hand, which the well-favored warrior quickly kissed.

“I am pleased to meet you, sir.” She smiled so as not to offend her husband, but her fear and apprehension of the coming night grew to painful proportions as the count squeezed her to him in a proprietary gesture.

“It is the greatest of honors, my lady.” Huntley straightened. “I beg you to consider me your champion and protector should you ever be in need of one.”

“Gallant words, son.” The count laughed, allowing his touch to stray down Elysia’s hip. “But I daresay she has all the man she needs.”

The lavish jewels on the count’s fingers snagged in her gown. His rotund body radiated warmth as if she were seated near a brazier. Elysia tilted her head to one side to escape his pungent breath on her cheek.

Bowing, Huntley departed, though Elysia felt his eyes upon her at all times.

Through the count’s uproarious mirth, Elysia heard a persistent ringing in the hall. As others became aware of it and quieted to listen, all eyes turned to Conon St. Simeon, banging his knife against his silver cup for the guests’ attention. Elysia edged away from the count, eager to put as much distance between them as possible.

“Ladies and gentleman,” Conon called, rising to his feet as the hall paused in its merrymaking. “A toast to the count and his bride.”

“Conon is my nephew,” the count whispered, wrapping one heavy arm about her waist and pulling her close to him once again. Elysia tried to mask the shudder that went through her at his touch. His breath nauseated her while his sweaty hands left damp imprints on the silk layers of her gown’s overskirt. Apparently his drunken state had robbed him of all sense of propriety.

Conon approached the table and raised his glass to the new couple. Elysia found it impossible to meet his gaze, as if he might be able to guess she had been thinking about him all day.

Intellectually, Elysia knew it did not matter whether she wed a handsome young man or an elderly lord. Marriage signified the end of a woman’s limited freedom, and a lifetime of domination by a man. Yet she couldn’t help but look at the count and wish fate had presented her with a more desirable groom.

“I wish you health and happiness and many babes to share your joy.” Conon’s voice rumbled through the hall as he made his pledge.

Elysia’s face flamed.

“May you make our name one to be feared and respected,” he continued. “And may your children be stalwart guardians of Vannes for another generation. To that end, I will faithfully serve you and your family.”

For the first time since she and the count had exchanged vows, Jacques St. Simeon’s expression grew serious as he looked upon his nephew. “Thank you, son.”

Cheers went up all around and in that moment, she braved a glance at Conon to find his gaze upon her, serious and contemplative. Perhaps her attention called him from his thoughts, because a grin suddenly stole over his face.

“Lady.” He raised his cup to her alone, then downed the rest of his wine in her honor. After slamming the vessel on the table, he crossed the room as if he could not wait to put distance between them. He pulled his dining companion into his embrace and headed toward the gathering dancers.

Elysia found her gaze would not stray from him. He wrapped the other woman in strong arms outlined by his narrowly cut tunic. Although Conon possessed the broad shoulders of a warrior, his step was light as he whirled his partner around the floor. The woman tossed her head back and laughed.

What would it feel like to be so carefree?

Elysia’s fanciful thoughts scattered as the count attempted to lean close to her and lost his balance, pitching forward. She buoyed him up with her arms, but he remained oblivious to her effort. He gestured to the dancing couple. “They make a beautiful pair, do they not?”

Elysia affected a smile in response. She had never found much to recommend beauty.

“She is a widow, you know.” The count nodded in the direction of Conon’s companion. “In our country a widow is allowed a bit of freedom to seek what company she wishes.”

In my country, too, Elysia reflected, wondering if she would ever know a time in her life when she was not bound to answer to a man. For a moment, she envied the woman. But it was certainly because of the widow’s autonomy and not her proximity to the dynamic presence of Conon St. Simeon.

Her husband flashed her a knowing grin. “’Tis why my nephew seeks out the grieving widows. They are mistresses of their own hearts—and their own bedchambers.”

He gave a loud guffaw at his joke, his fit of laughter soon turning into a fit of coughing. When his face turned red, Elysia feared for him.

“My lord, perhaps you should rest.”

“Rest?” He spluttered, apparently incensed at her choice of words. After another round of coughing, he rose to his feet with slow deliberation. His eyes issued a distinct challenge.

“Perhaps we should retire for the night and you will learn what your lord is made of.” His voice boomed with the complete lack of awareness of a drunkard. The entire hall stopped to turn wide eyes on the bridal couple.

“We retire!” the count shouted, yanking Elysia roughly to her feet beside him.

The crowd fell silent, until one lone clap broke the quiet. Elysia did not need to turn around to know which bold wedding guest instigated that noise. No matter how opposed Conon might be to his uncle’s wife, he supported the marriage in public. Elysia couldn’t deny a flicker of admiration for his family loyalty. Thunderous applause and whistles broke out amongst the well-wishers, who quickly followed Conon’s suit.

Fear, cold and still, choked her. She tripped behind the count as he pulled her through the hall, stumbling up the stairs leading to the sleeping quarters. She hadn’t prepared herself for this yet. Not that she would ever be fully prepared, but the count dragged her to bed hours before she’d thought they would retire.

Tomorrow she would wake up defiled by a lecherous old man, with nothing to look forward to in her life but more of the same, night after night. Arundel told her the count wanted to have another child, as his two children from his first marriage had died in infancy.

The fact that Elysia’s mother had told her exactly how babes were conceived only added to her anxiety. Knowing what her husband expected of her filled her with panic since Jacques St. Simeon did not seem to be a gentle man.

By the time they reached the lord’s chambers, Count Vannes appeared winded, his ire from the hall vanished in an effort to gasp for air. He looked much older than his fifty years. Elysia had a sixty-year-old tenant at Nevering who displayed twice the energy and health of her new husband.